The Conversation

A 25-year study reveals how empathy is passed from parents to teens to their future children

Written by Jessica A. Stern, Research Scientist, Psychology, University of Virginia

The longitudinal study traced how empathy develops across three generations.Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Our new research shows that parents who express empathy toward their teenagers may give teens a head start in developing the skill themselves. In addition, adolescents who show empathy and support toward their friends are more...

Here’s how machine learning can violate your privacy

Written by Jordan Awan, Assistant Professor of Statistics, Purdue University

If your data was used to train an AI, it might – or might not – be safe from prying eyes.ValeryBrozhinsky/iStock via Getty Images

Machine learning has pushed the boundaries in several fields, including personalized medicine, self-driving cars and customized advertisements. Research has shown, however, that these systems memorize aspects...

Phone cameras can take in more light than the human eye − that’s why low-light events like the northern lights often look better through your phone camera

Written by Douglas Goodwin, Visiting Assistant Professor in Media Studies, Scripps College

A May 2024 solar storm made the northern lights visible across parts of the northern U.S.AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Smartphone cameras have significantly improved in recent years. Computational photography and AI allow these devices to capture stunning images that can surpass what we see with the naked eye. Photos of the northern lights, or aurora...

Calls for divestment from apartheid South Africa gave today’s pro-Palestinian student activists a blueprint to follow

Written by Amanda Joyce Hall, Assistant Professor of History, University of California, Santa Barbara

Students erect 'shantytowns' at Johns Hopkins University in 1986 to call for divestment from South Africa.JHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado via Getty Images

In recent weeks, college campuses across the U.S. have been roiled by pro-Palestinian protests, with the police called in to arrest demonstrators and students threatened with expulsion.

But...

Militia extremists, kicked off Facebook again, are regaining comfort in public view

Written by Amy Cooter, Director of Research, Academic Development, and Innovation at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, Middlebury

Militias have been kicked off Facebook as they seek to reemerge into the public sphere.gorodenkoff/iStock / Getty Images Plus

When journalists sounded alarm bells in early May 2024 that more than 100 extremist militia groups had been organizing and communicating on Facebook, it wasn’t the first time militias had garnered attention for their...

9 justices, many opinions: How the Supreme Court tells lawyers, judges and the public about its decisions and disagreements

Written by Ilisabeth S. Bornstein, Lecturer in Legal Studies, Bryant University

The decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court are important to Americans, including these people demonstrating on April 25, 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

When the U.S. Supreme Court issues opinions, you may hear that the nine justices reached a 6-3 or a 5-4 decision. You may also hear that certain justices wrote a concurrence or that there were...

How Iran selects its supreme leader − a political scientist and Iran expert explains

Written by Eric Lob, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

A mourning ceremony for President Ebrahim Raisi at Vali-e-Asr Square in downtown Tehran, Iran, on May 20, 2024.AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

The sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi is unlikely to drastically alter Iran’s foreign and domestic policies, but it has left a power vacuum.

As stipulated by the constitution, Raisi was replaced by his...

The US has always had ‘big government’ – even in the Colonial era

Written by Sidney Shapiro, Frank U. Fletcher Chair in Law, Wake Forest University

Big government fans. John Trumbull/Grafissimo via Getty Images

Paralyzed by its most radical members, the House of Representatives passed just 27 bills that became law in 2023 — down nearly 90% from the previous year. Republicans who see big government as a threat to liberty view this failure as a “success.”

The idea of small...

Successful city parks make diverse communities feel safe and welcome − this Minnesota park is an example

Written by Dan Trudeau, Professor of Geography, Macalester College

'Meditation,' by Lei Yixin, near the picnic pavilion in Lake Phalen Regional ParkCity of Saint Paul, CC BY-ND

What makes a city a good place to live? Practical features are important, such as well-maintained streets, good public transit and reliable trash collection. So are amenities that make cities attractive and interesting, such as museums and...

Pets give companionship, cuddles and joy – and also unavoidable stresses

Written by Emily Hemendinger, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Pets can bring joy and companionship, as well as financial worries, loss and logistical challenges.Dann Tardif/Stone via Getty Images

Owning a pet can be a roller coaster. There are the highs, like when your dog greets you with a full-body wiggle when you return home, or when your cat purrs loudly as you cuddle next to one another. Then there are...